Mastering the Art of Packing Books:
A Step-by-Step Guide for a Safe and Stress-Free Move

• Sort and declutter the books ensuring similar sizes are together .
• Use small sturdy boxes to avoid making them heavy and hard to handle.
• Protect valuable/expensive books with an additional layer of packaging.
• abels the boxes accurately.

• Sorting and Decluttering: Make sure you get rid of books you don’t need/read anymore. Make 3 piles- Take, Donate, Sell. Give them to someone who would read them and ensure you take this moving opportunity to clean your collection and keep only what you need.
• Right packaging: Packing books like clothes is a mistake you surely want to avoid. You keep piling them up and don't realize how heavy the box gets. Instead, go for sturdy boxes that can carry the weight of the books and are easy to manage. Pro tip: Try to get boxes from a nearby bookstore because they would have exactly what you need.
• Protective materials: For rare editions or books that hold sentimental value for you, make sure you pack them with extra care and label those boxes too. You simply use bubble wrap or paper packaging materials. If you have many books of this kind, a layer of bubble wrap between the box and the books could also help.
• Strategic planning: There are two ways of arranging books in a box- vertically or horizontally. Depending on the shape of your box and the ease of sizes fitting inside it, you can decide the method that suits you. You can also alternate the spines so it balances the weight in the box.
• Fill up the empty spaces: There is bound to be gaps while packing books because of different sizes. Make sure you fill those gaps with paper etc. to avoid books moving around inside the box and rubbing against surfaces. Double-check this by lifting and shaking the box before you seal it- does it sound like the books are moving around? You need more packaging inside!
• Label boxes correctly: You may have books for different rooms in your house or you may have collections that you’d like to keep together like the Harry Potter series- you’d hate to lose a part or mix it around. Remember to label the boxes with anything you’d like to remind yourself of and tag them as ‘heavy’ for any mover handling it at any given point.
• Don’t overpack your boxes: Individual books might seem light but when kept together even in a small box, they can get very heavy. Make sure the weight of each box doesn’t exceed 20-30 pounds. Pro tip: Use a suitcase to carry them around as they can take up good weight.

Packing books for a move should not be a herculean task. By segregating books, using the right packaging material and boxes, and ensuring smooth transportation for them, you can ensure they reach you just like you packed them. With these practical tips, your books will be ready to line the shelves of your new home, in perfect condition.

Small and sturdy cardboard boxes should be good. You can use bubble wrap or towels to fill up the extra spaces. Large boxes can become too heavy.

Yes a rolling suitcase is a very mobile way to carry books and you’d not have to care about the weight too much either unlike boxes where you’d have to lift them and can’t make them too heavy.

You could segregate them basis frequency of use, sizes or by collection depending on your preferred way. You can bring in the packaging material and wrap them all at the same time but in manageable decent-sized boxes.

Reflect on what books you have before you move them to let go of any that you may no longer need/desire. Donate or sell and give them to someone who may want to read them rather than shipping them around, putting in extra time and money.